A 100% “Green” Delivery Trip

On September 29, 2015, Solar Sal, a 40-foot solar-powered boat, set sail from Lockport, New York. It embarked on a voyage along the Erie Canal towards Mechanicville, due to arrive at its destination on October 13 without having consumed a single drop of fuel! It will deliver its cargo of bales of recycled cardboard to the local Cascades Tissue Group plant.

This journey of over 300 miles is made possible by 16 solar panels, which can produce up to 5 kilowatts of power. This is more energy than necessary, as just 2.5 kilowatts is enough to achieve the boat’s top speed of 5 knots, or approximately 10 km/h, which is the same speed as a large tug.

This sustainable transport project is first and foremost an initiative of the Chamber of Southern Saratoga County, which decided to bring Cascades on board due to its recognized sustainability values as well as its advantageous position in relation to the waterway. Cascades therefore sponsored this innovative project, which constitutes another step towards the use of green energy in industrial transportation.

Related

Sara is an intern at the Cascades Communications Department for the 2015 Fall session. Energetic and dedicated, Sara is working toward earning her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Communications, cooperative profile, from Université de Sherbrooke. She is also completing a certificate program in Sustainable Development at Université Laval. Her interest in this field and the company’s innovative spirit are what led her to this position. “Cascades carries wonderful values that I feel strongly about and motivate me. I am acquiring new skills through the unique assignments I get from the team—simply reinforcing the pride I take in being a part of the Cascades team.”

Welcome to the Cascades blog. We will be using this space to share information about our initiatives in sustainable development and to engage with you on this subject. We will be posting articles regularly about innovation and social responsibility. We welcome your comments!